Yikes! My Carpet Is Soaked. What Next? | SERVPRO® of Cedar Mill/Oak Hills

2/1/2021 (Permalink)

If you have water damage in your home due to a burst pipe or another cause, contact us right away. SERVPRO of Cedar Mill/Oak Hills is available 24/7.

Maybe you’re taking a driving tour of some beautiful parklands. Maybe you’re away on business. Whatever happens, you return home to find there’s been a burst pipe or other water leak in your house…and your carpet is soaked.

Can a wet carpet be saved? And if so, can you dry it yourself? The answers depend on how long the carpet was wet and whether it was contaminated with sewage or other hazardous substances.

How Long Was the Carpet Wet?

As soon as water soaks into your carpet, it begins to change. Fibers absorb water and swell. Any mold lurking there begins to spread.

That means you have a limited time window when you can dry the carpet yourself, in place, without taking it up off the floor. Generally, if your carpet was only wet 48 hours or less with clean water, you can dry it in place.

How Do I Dry a Carpet?

First, you’ll want to thoroughly get as much water as you can up by hand. Press clean, dry towels into the carpet and wring them out.

Keep on until you can wring no more water out of them. In the meantime, use fans, open windows and/or dehumidifiers to keep removing moisture from the area.

Next, use a wet/dry vacuum and repeat the same steps as for the towels: vacuum and then empty the canister repeatedly, until you can’t get more water up.

Finally, sprinkle the carpet with baking powder or commercial carpet cleaning/disinfecting powder. Leave overnight, then vacuum up.

Was the Water Contaminated?

If the carpet was wet with contaminated water, or if it was wet more than a day or two, you’ll need to take it up, dry under it, and shampoo or steam-clean and disinfect it. This is a cumbersome process where a cleaning and restoration team such as SERVPRO can really come in handy.

If you want to assess whether a wet carpet can be salvaged, or if you need help with drying and disinfecting your carpet, reach out to us right away.

From emergency cleaning and restoration to routine disinfection, we’re there for you. Contact us at any hour for a consultation or immediate assistance.